


A dystopia by any other name would suck just as much

by Sunlocke



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Community trauma, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, King Mettaton, Mettaton actually tries, Post-Undertale Neutral Route - King Mettaton Ending, Shock
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-03-23 16:04:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13791213
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sunlocke/pseuds/Sunlocke
Summary: It's the King Mettaton ending. I think we all know what that means. So how does it get so bad?Pieces based after the ending. Should be mostly chronological, but don't hold me to it.I wrote this in December and still can't think of a name so I'm posting it anyways.





	1. Chapter 1

Mettaton took a little time after Asgore’s murder, after the human left the Underground. He spent two hours in his own room at his own hotel, lying on the bed and feeling nothing. Scandalously drinking coffee out of the chrome and black teacup the King had gotten for him before. Shed one tear without realizing it, burning an acid hole through his glove when he wiped it away. So he got up and threw that pair away, put on new gloves, and carried himself into the bathroom to apply the fiercest lipstick he owned.

And then he marched through the lobby and down to his studio to give the Underground a message that whatever happened, they would come through. There were no steps to take in the event of Asgore’s death, because, with no children, he was never supposed to die. All Mettaton could do was advise monsters to stay calm, and it would be resolved. In the meantime, he helped walk them through grieving for Undyne and Asgore and any friends or loved ones lost to the human, straightforward but sympathetic. The ticker bar shared an Undernet page for those that may take solace in talking with others.

That was all he could do until he found Alphys or someone from New Home who knew what they were supposed to do now. He left the broadcast to keep replaying with a promise of further updates and made his way to the lab, ignoring the slight heat rising from the lava below.

Despite his broadcast, Mettaton expected to come across some sort of panic as he walked. Two of the Underground’s most prominent figures had disappeared in a single day, along with uncounted others, because of one human. Mettaton didn’t bother wondering why not him. The human was gone from the Underground and he was not, and he would not feel guilty about it.

But he didn’t run into any trouble, and the lights were off when he reached the lab. It seemed like the Underground was still in shock. Mettaton had his own key to the lab, but Alphys wasn’t sitting in the dark binging anime, and she wasn’t in bed. Ah. She must be hiding down in the True Lab. Mettaton thought about it, he’d been down there before, but right now he just didn’t have the time or the emotional energy to go searching for her in such an awful place. He locked the lab back up and left.

He had his own things to consider right now, anyways. Mettaton had been around for a long time. Long enough that he’d seen the Underground go through tragedy before, losing the prince and the first human. He had to think- well, he supposed the community would need him now. There were topics he’d want to cover in the wake of recent events, but he also needed to throw himself back into his usual shows, after the promise he had made. Besides, it would be good to keep a sense of normality in these times.

...

He also has to work through the matter of what had happened after his fight with the human. The call in from his cousin. His cousin, he thought about from time to time, but always put off doing anything about those thoughts. In fact, he would continue to do so. Later. He will seek them out later, but not right now. He’s Mettaton and the Underground needs a shining star.

He throws himself into his work and forgets to take time for his own feelings.


	2. Chapter 2

The Underground scrambles for a new leader and Mettaton comes out on top by the end of two weeks. It’s for the best. Fights were starting and those few undesirables among monsterkind were beginning to surface, seeing opportunity. Someone else, someone better, could have stepped up. But nobody did.

_ King Mettaton. _

He’s a big monster in his EX form and fills the throne impressively, but it doesn’t frame him well. He holds the heavy golden trident across his lap for long enough for the monster in front of him to snap a picture before setting it aside. This won’t be easy. Asgore was king for decades, policies are repeated and contradicting, Snowdin has a tax on  _ snowballs  _ but he can manage. He’s been a businessman since he got this body, it can’t be that much different. As much as he’d like to get his hands right into this and figure out what he’s supposed to be doing, he wants to see Alphys.

Mettaton hasn’t heard from her at all. And, okay, it’s Alphys. Now that he thinks about it, he got a weird text from her not too long after the human left, but he couldn’t make out words so he assumed it was an accident. Again, it’s Alphys. But her Undernet profile has been dead silent these two weeks. And he’s concerned.

So he’s going to the lab again. He knows Hotland like the back of his glove and slips along the quieter routes. The lab is still dark. 

He lets himself in again. The lab is dark. Mettaton’s ears ring, and he doesn’t want to turn on the light, but he does. It looks the same as always. Alphys isn’t there. Of course, she could be out. Buying more instant noodles or something. But he might as well check while he’s here. He’s not afraid of the Amalgamates. He had even made a point of visiting them when he remembered to, after finding out who was in Lemon Bread. 

He takes the elevator down into the True Lab. Reaper Bird appears immediately, with their head and long neck stuck up the slot in the vending machine, eating poptato chisps bag and all. 

Mettaton begins to worry. Not about the bird, they can get free if they want, but Alphys usually remembers to feed the Amalgamates regularly. The strike of his heels on the tiles suddenly gives him a headache.

He puts two and two together when he finds the dust. The realization comes quick, but underwhelming, with a soft “oh” or some breath that sounds like it. A flutter at the center of his chest that makes the plate of armor feel heavier. He covers his mouth with one hand, sinking against his gloved palm as his eyes squeeze shut, his cheeks prickle and grow hot, but nothing seems to register inside his head. His free hand grips his wrist. 

Mettaton rocks on his heels once or twice, and backs away from the small pile of dust. He turns around and makes it to the doorway of the room before turning again, walking back with careful steps. He’s barely able to make himself move for fear of disturbing the dust, staring down. He feels a little fuzzy. There’s nothing but static in his ears. Mettaton realizes distantly, dimly in the back of his mind, no one else is here, no one else must know yet. He’s going to have to decide what to do about this. He can’t leave her dust here forever, and somehow, at some point he’s going to have to break the news to the rest of the Underground. 

His eyes sting, but not with tears, only from staring. He knows he should feel something, but he doesn’t feel anything.

Mettaton walks back to the elevator, pushing his hair back with both hands and forcing an unneeded breath past his lips. He feels weird. Pulled back from his eyes and gathering at his crown. Quite suddenly everything has begun to change, since the moment that human fell. This will take some time to shift and settle into this new, fluid world, just like the rest of what’s happened. But he’s fine.

He misses the first step into the elevator and kicks the wall hard, then slides through the doors a little more carefully, like he doesn’t trust his legs. The sight of the lab makes him stop in his tracks. Mettaton knows every element of the rooms and every piece of furniture, but it feels foreign, like- Alphys is supposed to be- 

Mettaton almost slips on the note he hadn’t noticed on the floor, written in familiar chicken scratch. He doesn’t stop to read it.

He locks the lab back up behind him and doesn’t look anyone in the eyes all the way back to his own room. He remembers he was supposed to move to the castle and doesn’t live here anymore, but all he can think to do is slam the door behind him and collapse on the floor.

 

Mettaton told everyone after another day passed. He couldn’t take care of Alphys’s remains by himself, and it was about time people found out about the Amalgamates anyways. He did help set up the funeral, though, somehow, without acknowledging it emotionally. He doesn’t remember much about it now, except that he couldn’t figure out how he was supposed to arrange his face and spent most of the occasion as a box instead. 


End file.
